Report from Boundary Park

Attendance: 3,592 including 749 visiting supporters
Tuesday 19th August 2014
At Boundary Park
League One
Oldham Athletic v Port Vale

minute lead at Boundary Park, but the visitors were unable to build on their lead.^thTom Pope netted his fifth goal of the season as Vale took an 8

minute when James Wilson headed home to earn Oldham a share of the spoils.^thVale came under increasing pressure and the home side finally levelled the scores in the 64

There were no surprises when Micky Adams named an unchanged side following Vale’s impressive first away performance at Doncaster Rovers three days earlier.

The Vale boss named the same starting eleven, making just one change on the bench with the inclusion of defender Adam Yates, with young winger Ryan Lloyd stepping aside to make way for him.

The home side, perhaps a little low on confidence given their start to the season, tried to push Vale back in the opening minutes of the game, but Vale stood firm to their advances.

minute, with a familiar name getting on the score sheet.^thVale gradually began to press themselves and took the lead in the 8

GOAL: rose to plant a textbook header past Latics’ ‘keeper Paul Rachubka and into the back of the net.TOM POPE Ben Williamson crossed towards the far post from the left and  

It was Pope’s fifth goal of the season, keeping up his record of scoring in each of Vale’s four games so far.

Play was held up for a short while following a clash between Oldham’s Danny Philliskirk and Vale’s Ryan McGivern, but the two of them were able to carry on after treatment.

Vale were looking comfortable on the ball all over the park in the early stages of the game, dictating the pace of the game without really dominating.

Pope got up well to meet a Michael O’Connor free kick from the left with a firm header, but Rachubka wasn’t troubled, taking the ball in his midriff.

Jonathan Forte threatend for the home side at the other end, but lifted his 25 yard shot high over Sam Johnson’s crossbar.

It was difficult to fault the home side’s endeavour, but the Vale defence were handling themselves well, making it difficult for Oldham to make any headway.

Vale had a scare five minute before half time when the home side got the ball down in the Vale box, lining up to shoot, but Vale threw bodies in their way two block two goal bound efforts, keeping Johnson’s goal intact.

The Vale ‘keeper then made a comfortable save to stop a twenty yard effort from Oldham skipper Liam Kelly.

Vale needed to up their game a little in the second half if they were to keep their lead after the home side became stronger and grew in confidence as the opening forty five minutes continued.

In the third minute of first half stoppage time Vale had Frederic Veseli to thank for keeping Vale ahead when he blocked a close range effort from Jonson Clarke-Harris, when a goal looked a certainty.

Vale came out of the traps looking a little sharper after the interval, but still had some defending to do as the home side searched frantically for an equaliser.

minute with a twenty yard shot which scraped the side-netting, with several Vale fans behind the goal at first thinking it had gone in.^thChris Lines went close for the visitors in the 55

minute with the introduction of Colin Daniel for Chris Birchall. Daniel went over on the left with Mark Marshall switching to the right.^thVale made a change in the 59

GOAL: met a left wing corner to steer a near post header into the Vale net.JAMES WILSON minute when ^thVale continued to come under pressure and they finally conceded in the 64

Michael O’Connor tested Rachubka and then Vale went close again when Pope headed across goal and Lines raced in to plant a header against the Oldham crossbar.

minute. Off came winger Mark Marshall, with midfielder Steve Jennings coming off the bench.^thVale made a second substitution in the 74

Ten minutes from time Micky Adams made his final change, bringing on Michael Brown in place of Michael O’Connor.

minute, touching a close range header over his crossbar.^thVale ‘keeper Sam Johnson pulled off a brilliant reaction save to keep the scores level in the 87

OLDHAM ATHLETIC: Joel Coleman, Timothee Dieng, Genserix Kusunga, Willy Gros, James Dayton, Amari Morgan-Smith, David NobleSUBS:Paul Rachubka, Connor Brown, Jospeh Mills, George Elokobi, Liam Kelly, Mike Jones, Danny Philliskirk, Jonathan Forte, Jonson Clarke-Harris, Carl Winchester, James Wilson.  

PORT VALE: Chris Neal, Chris Robertson, Colin Daniel, Louis Dodds, Michael Brown, Steve Jennings, Adam Yates.SUBS: Sam Johnson, Frederic Veseli, Carl Dikinson, Richard Duffy, Ryan McGivern, Chris Borchall, Chris Lines, Michael O’Connor, Mark Marshall, Ben Wiliamson, Tom Pope.